Heat transfer unit



Nov. 29, 1955 Filed Oct. 16, 1951 J. G. CUMING HEAT TRANSFER UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. J0l/A/ G. Gum/v5 1955 J. G. CUMING 2,725,218

HEAT TRANSFER UNIT Filed Oct. 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. JOHN G. GUM/1V6 JVTTOR/VEYS United States Patent HEAT TRANSFER UNIT John G. Cuming, Old Greenwich, Conn.

Application October 16, 1951, Serial No. 251,586

9 laims. (Cl. 257-256) This invention relates to a unit useful in heating or cooling molds, platens, vessels, pipes, rolls, etc., and has proved construction of heat transfer unitwhich shall enable the unit to be readily applied to irregularly shaped objects.

Other objects of the invention, as-well as the novel features of construction thereof will become apparent form a perusal of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a unit or cell embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view partly in section, of the unit shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a hemispherically-shaped cell provided with a holding ring;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a series of connected cells; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cell constructed for application to a pipe; Fig. 6 is a side view, partly in section, of the cell shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an end view of the cell shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the manner in which the cell may be constructed for heating rolls and the like. 7 v

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, my heat transfer unit essentially comprises a hollow cell or compartment formed by a relatively rigid member 10 and a diaphragm 11. The member 10 is constituted of sheet of metal such as aluminum, brass or, stainless steel, stamped to form a dome-like central portion and a flat, outwardly projecting annular flange 12. Because of the thickness of the metal and the dome-like, flanged configuration of the member 11, such member has substantial rigidity. The thickness of the metal in member 10 will depend upon the internal pressures it is to sustain in the use for which it was designed. The diaphragm 11 is made of a fiat thin sheet of ductile metal such as soft aluminum or copper. For most applications, the

thickness of diaphragm 11 will be between 0.005 and 0.030 inch. In those cases ,where the unit is made relatively large and is to be subjected to high pressure in its usage, the diaphragm 11 should be made somewhat thicker. The diaphragm 11 has a configuration such that its outer edge portion extends beyond the dome-like portion of member 10 and underlies the flange 12 of such member. The outer edge portion of diaphragm 11 and flange 12 are connected to form a fluid-tight connection, as by brazing, soldering or welding.

The chamber 13 formed by member 10 and diaphragm 11 is in communication with a pair of tubes 14 and 15 which may be made of copper, aluminum or stainless steel and by means of which the cell may be connected in the line of the heating or cooling liquid. The tubes 14 and 15 extend slightly into chamber 13 through openings provided in member 10 and are secured by fluidtight connections to such member. This may be accomplished by either brazing, soldering or welding the ends of tubes 14 and 15 to member 10. The tubes 14 and 15 may be connected in the fluid line in any-suitable fashion so that the fluid will pass through one of such tubes, through the chamber 13 of the unit and out through the other of such tubes. The te mperature of the fluid and its pressure are controlled in any suitable fashion by means well known to the art.

It will be understood from the foregoing, that in the use of the device, the cell or unit is attached to the surface of the object to be cooled or heated, by screwing or spot welding the outer edge portion of diaphragm 11 and flange 12 to such surface so that diaphragm 11 rests upon such surface. In Fig. 2 of the drawings, the unit is shown by way of example, as secured to a surface 16 by means of screws 17. When the cell is coupled by means of the tubes 14 and 15 in the line of the heating or cooling fluid, such as steam, heated or cooled air or liquid, and such fluid passes into chamber 13 under pressure, the diaphragm is forced by the pressure of such fluid against the surface 16 of the object. Since the diaphragm 11 is thin and ductile, it will under such pressure tend to conform to the surface 16 of the object and thereby force out air lying between it and such surface. The greater the pressure exerted by the cooling or heating medium on diaphragm 11, the more closely it will be brought into contact with the surface 16 and the less air will be between the two, thus rendering more efficient the conduction of heat between the object and the fluid in chamber 13 of the unit. Since the pressure of the cooling or heating medium determines the contact pressure between the object and the diaphragm, and thus the heat transfer characteristics, the unit provides a means which enables the controlling of the cooling or heating of the object either by changing the pressure of the cooling or heating fluid or by changing the temperature of the latter or by changing both the temperature and pressure of such fluid.

The cell or unit shown in Fig. 3 of'the drawings, illustrates that the dome-like portion of the member 10 in ,Fig. 1 may be made hemispherical in shape, and of course other shapes of domes may also be utilized. In order to distribute the pressure of the screws 17 on the flange of the dome-shaped member and thereby prevent the deformation of such flange and the underlying portion of the diaphragm when the unit is secured to an object, a wavy steel ring 18 may be superimposed on such flange, as is also shown in Fig. 3. Cells such as shown in Figs. l-3 of the drawings may also be connected in series, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and each such series may be connected to other cells by standard flare-type tube couplings 19. In such construction, the dome-like members for all cells in the series may be constituted from a single sheet 20 of metal. Similarly, the diaphragms for all cells in the series may be formed from a single thin sheet of ductile metal and connected to the flange 21 enclosing the dome-like portions of the member 20 in the manner described with respect to the c011- struction of Fig. 1. The flange 21 and the underlying portion of the diaphragm may be provided with holes 22 if the unit is to be connected to an object by screv s. The dome-like portions of the member 20 are connected together by tubes 23, 23, so that the heating or cooling possesses the advantage that it may be readily utilized on objects having compound curved surfaces.

The constructions illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 are readily adaptable for use on flat or curved surface portipns of heating tanks, ovens, hot plates, press platens, molds, dies, etc. In many such devices, the'use of the'cells will dispense with the need for cast'in pipes or intricate cored passages, thus making itpossible 'to'sirnplify their construction, produce better castings of the same and cut down on their weight and cost of manufacture. These cell constructions may also; be used as part'of radiant heatinghnits when combined with metal'pl ates' of good radiating qualities, and for spot heating of machine parts. When it is desired to use the invention in "connection with ducts, tubes and pipes, it is preferred that the units be constructed in the manner illnstrated'in Eigs5 to 8 of the d'rawings.

The'unit' shown in Figs. 5 to 7 is particularly adapted for heating pipes through which aitfche'micalsfheaVy fluids, etcfar'e'passed. In this unit, the member is cylindrically-formed to provide the outer wall of the annular ch'amberl3' and the annular'flanges 12 12, which encircle the ends of the cylindricall'y-shaped diaphragm 11'. The flanges 12, 12' are secured to theend's of the diaphragm 11" to form a fluid-tight connection with the latter in'the manner previously described. 'The diaphragm 11 is preferably so dimensioned with respect to the pipe 2% on which the unit is to be mounted, that the'unit may be slidably moved on the pipe, yet snugly engagesthe exterior surface of the latter. Like the previously described embodiments, this'unit is also provided with entry and discharge tubes 14' and in the form of'nipples, by which the unit may be included in the line for'the heating or cooling medium. The unit may be permanently attached in any suitable manner to the pipe 24 through the flanges 12' thereof and functions in a manner similar to that described with respect to the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.

The unit shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, is especially adapted for use in heating rolls, such as ealenderin'g rolls. This construction differs from the construction'of Figs. 5 to 7, in that the diaphragm 11 thereof is reversed with relation to the member 10" and engages the entire surface of the roll 25 which is to be heated. The member 10" in this construction has a substantially cylindrically-shaped central portion and then flares outwardly at its ends towards the diaphragm 11" to form with the latter the chamber l3'-. The outer ends of the member 1-0" are provided with cylindrically-shaped portions 1 2" which are the equivalent of the flanges 12 in the construction of Figs. 5 to 7, and which are secured in fluid-tight connection to the outer ends of the diaphragm 11-. As in the previous embodiments, the inlet 'and'discharge tubes or nipples 14" and 15" respectively, by which the unit may be included in the line for the cooling or heating medium, are connected to the member 10". It will readily be understood that in this embodiment of the invention, the pressure of the heating or cooling medium will force the outer surface of the diaphragm 11-" into close engagement with the interior surface of the roll 25. This'unit or cell as well as the unit illustrated in Figs. 5-7- of the drawings, may be connected with other. cells in series or. to cool a predeterminedilength of the pipe or roll to which they are attached.

While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be, apparent tothose skilled in the art, that various changes and; modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or'the scope of the appended claims. 7

Idaim: H UN 1. A heat transfer unit for heating and cooling objects, comprising a diaphragm constituted of. a thin, flat sheet of ductile metal disposed to engage the surface "of an obiect in heat transfer relation, a relatively rigid member having a plurality of spaced, dome-shaped portions forming with said diaphragm a plurality of spaced, closed, fluid-tight chambers, and having flange portions lying in overlapping engagement on the outer edge portions of said diaphragm, said flange portions and outer edge portion of said diaphragm being in fluid tight connection, means for securely connecting said flange portions and diaphragm to the surface of an object, means connecting said chambers to each other, and an inlet connected to one end of said dome-shaped portions and an outlet connected to the other end of said dome-shaped portions to permit the flow of fluid through said chambers, substantially the entire area of the unconnected body portion of said diaphragm being forcible into pressure contact with the object surface under pressure of the fluid in such chamber to provide improved heat transfer characteristics between the fluid and the object.

2. A heat transfer unit for inclusion in a system through which a heating or cooling fluid is circulated and adapted to be connected in heat transfer relation to a surface of an object, said unit having a closed, fluid-tight chamber and comprising a diaphragm forming a wall of such chamber 'a'nddisppsed'to' have one surface thereof engage d in heat transfer relation with said objectsurface, a relatively rigid hollow member seated against the other surface of said diaphragm and forming another wall of such chamber, the fluid being circulated in the chamber space between said diaphragm and member, said diaphragm being cylindrically-shaped and constituted of a thin sheet of ductile metal having an area substantially less than the area of the object surface so that it covers only partially the'area ofsuch object surface, said hollow member being cylindrically-shaped and concentric to the longitudinal axis of said diaphragm, said hollow member partially covering said article surface andenclosing an area of said diaphragm less than the total area of said diaphragm, said member having at its ends flanged portions seated against marginal end portions of such other surface of said diaphragm to form said closed chamber, means'f or permanently connecting said; flanged portions and the marginal edge portions of said diaphragm together in fluid-tight relation, the rigid flanged portions of said hollow member and said connecting means holding the marginal edge'portions of said diaphragm in fixed relation to a surface of anobject when the unit is mounted on such object, and the main portion of said diaphragm not being secured to the object'surface anddepending on fluid pressure and its characteristics to obtaina tight fit against the portion of the object surface covered thereby in improved heat engagement, and'an inlet and an outlet connectedto said rigid hollow niemher to permit the flow ofheat e i changefluidthrough the chamber space between said member and such'main' diaphragm portion, whereby the pressure of 'the fluid in such chamber space inflates the ductile wall formed'by such enelosedmain diaphragm portion to take the contour of said object in tight con,- tactive relation and-thereby provide improved heat transfer characteristics between the fluid and the object.

3. A heat transfer unit such as defined in claim 2 in which said diaphragm has a true cylindrical shape and constitutesthe inner wall of an annularl-y-shaped chamber formed between the same and said cylindrically-shaped member, and in whic said member is provided at 'its ends with longitudinally-extending cylindrically-shaped flange portions "lying in fluid-tight overlapping engagementon the ends of said diaphragm.

4. A heat tran sfer unit such asdeflned in claim 2, in which said diaphragrn h as a true cylindrical shape and constitutes the duterwall of an annularly-shapedchamber formed between thesame and said cylindrically-shapedmember, and-in which saidmember is provided-at its ends with longitudinally-extending cylindrically-shapedflange portions lying in fluid-tight overlapping engagement on theends of said-diaphragm.

5. A heat transfer unit for-inclusion in a system through which aheating' or cooling fluid is circulated and adapted to be connected in heat transfer relation to a surface of an object, said unit having a closed, fluid-tight chamber and comprising a diaphragm to be placed in engagement with said object surface and forming one wall of said chamber, and a housing enclosing said diaphragm and forming another wall of such chamber, the fluid being circulated in the chamber space between said diaphragm and housing, said diaphragm being constituted of a thin, flat sheet of ductile metal having an area substantially less than the area of the object surface so that it covers only partially the area of such object surface, said housing having an arched covering layer of relatively rigid material forming the casing of the unit and partially enclosing said object surface, said housing comprising transversely extending flanged portions at its inner edges superimposed on marginal edge portions of said diaphragm, and means permanently connecting said flanged portions and the marginal edge portions of said diaphragm in fluid-tight relation, said flanged portions and the connected marginal edge portions of said diaphragm being provided with series of spaced openings extending throughout the lengths thereof and through which fastening members may be inserted to securely connect such marginal edge portions of said diaphragm and said housing in fixed relation to the partially enclosed surface of the object, the main portion of said diaphragm not being secured to the object surface and depending on fluid pressure and its characteristics to obtain a tight fit against the enclosed portion of the object surface in improved heat engagement, and an inlet and an outlet connected to said housing to permit the flow of heat exchange fluid through the chamber space between said housing and such main diaphragm portion, whereby the pressure of the fluid in such chamber space inflates the ductile wall formed by such enclosed main diaphragm portion to take the contour of said object surface in tight contactive relation and thereby provide improved heat transfer characteristics between the fluid and the object.

6. A heat transfer unit for inclusion in a system through which a heating or cooling fluid is circulated and adapted to be connected in heat transfer relation to a surface of an object, said unit having a closed, fluid-tight chamber and comprising a diaphragm to be placed in engagement with said object surface and forming one Wall of said chamber, and a housing seated on said diaphragm and forming another wall of such chamber, the fluid being circulated in the chamber space between said diaphragm and housing, said diaphragm being constituted of a thin, flat sheet of ductile metal, and said housing having an arched covering layer of relatively rigid material forming the casing of the unit and partially enclosing said object surface, said diaphragm having an area greater than the area thereof covered by the arched portion of said housing, but substantially less than the area of the object surface so that it covers only partially the area of such object surface, said housing comprising transverse outwardly extending flanged portions at its inner edges superimposed on marginal edge portions of said diaphragm, means permanently connecting said flanged portions, and the marginal edge portions of said diaphragm in fluid-tight relation, fastening means provided on said flanged portions and the connected marginal edge portions of said diaphragm and extending throughout the lengths thereof for enabling such marginal edge portions of said diaphragm and said housing to be securely connected in fixed relation to the partially enclosed surface of the object, the main portion of said diaphragm not being secured to the object surface and depending on fluid pressure and its characteristics to obtain a tight fit against the enclosed portion of the object surface in improved heat engagement, and an inlet and an outlet connected to said housing to permit the flow of heat exchange fluid through the chamber space between said housing and such main diaphragm portion, whereby the pressure of the fluid in such chamber space inflates the ductile wall formed by such enclosed main diaphragm portion to take the con tour of said object surface in tight contactive relation and thereby provide improved heat transfer characteristics between the fluid and the object.

7. A heat transfer unit for inclusion in a system through which a heating or cooling fluid is circulated and adapted to be connected in heat transfer relation to a surface of an object, said unit having a closed, fluid-tight chamber and comprising a diaphragm to be placed in engagement with said object surface and forming one Wall of said chamber, and a housing enclosing said diaphragm and forming another wall of such chamber, the fluid being circulated in the chamber space between said diaphragm and housing, said diaphragm being constituted of a thin, flat sheet of ductile metal having an area substantially less than the area of the object surface so that it covers only partially the area of such object surface, said housing having an arched covering layer of relatively rigid material forming the casing of the unit and partially enclosing said object surface, said arched layer having an annularly-shaped inner edge defining an area less than the area of said flat diaphragm, said housing comprising an annularly-shaped, transverse, outwardly extending flange integral with such annular inner edge and superimposed on marginal edge portions of said diaphragm, means permanently connecting said flanged portions and the marginal edge portions of said diaphragm in fluid-tight relation, said annular flange and the connected marginal portions of said diaphragm being provided with closed series of spaced openings arranged annularly thereon and through which fastening members may be inserted to securely connect such marginal edge portions of said diaphragm and said housing in fixed relation to the partially enclosed surface of the object, the main portion of said diaphragm not being secured to the object surface and depending on fluid pressure and its characteristics to obtain a tight fit against the enclosed portion of the object surface in improved heat engagement, and an inlet and an outlet connected to said housing to permit the flow of heat exchange fluid through the chamber space between said housing and such main diaphragm portion, whereby the pressure of the fluid in such chamber space inflates the ductile wall formed by such enclosed main diaphragm portion to take the contour of said object surface in tight contactive relation and thereby provide improved heat transfer characteristics between the fluid and the object.

8. A heat transfer unit such as defined in claim 7, including an annular member of wavy contour having spaced portions seated on the annular flange of said housing and raised portions intermediate said seated portions, the raised and seated portions being alternately arranged and said seated portions being provided with a closed series of openings aligned with the openings in the housing flange.

9. A heat transfer unit for inclusion in a system through which a heating or cooling fluid is circulated and adapted to be connected in heat transfer relation to a surface of an object, said unit having a closed, fluid-tight chamber and comprising a diaphragm forming a Wall of such chamber and disposed to have one surface thereof engaged in heat transfer relation with said object surface, a relatively rigid hollow member seated against the other surface of said diaphragm and forming another wall of such chamber, the fluid being circulated in the chamber space between said diaphragm and member, said diaphragm being constituted of a thin sheet of ductile metal having an area substantially less than the area of the object surface so that it covers only partially the area of such object surface, and having a normal configuration substantially similar to that surface portion of the object with which it is to engage and cover, said hollow member partially covering said article surface and enclosing an area of said diaphragm less than the total area of said diaphragm, said member comprising outwardly extending flanged portions seated against marginal edge portions of such other surface of. said diaphragm, meansfon permanently connecting.

saidflangedzportionst and the. rnzuzginalz edge portions. of said diaphragm together in. fluid-tight relation,v the; rigid flanged portions of said hollow member: andisai d connectingrneans holding thernarginaledge portions of said diaphragrn in fixed. relation to, a surface. of anobject when the unit, is mounted onv such object, andthemainportion of said diaphragm. not being secured. torthe object-surface and depending; on. fluid pressure and its characteristics; to-

obtain. a tight fit against the portionwof the objectsurface covered. thereby in improved heat engagement, and antinlet and an outlet connectedto said rigid hollow. member to permit. the flow of. heat exchange. fluid, through the.

chamber space. between said member andsuch main diaphragm, portion, whereby the pressure. of the. fluid in: 15-

such. chamber space inflates. the ductile wall formed by such enclosedmain diaphragm pottion to take the contour of; said object. in. tight. contactive relation. and therebyprovide improvedheattransfer cfiaracteris't-icsbetween 5- the. fluid andv the object.

Reterences'flit'ed in the file. of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

